Tabled Paper added 6 May 2020.

The Planning Policy Manager introduced the report which set-out the assessment of potential development sites that could, when considered with other evidence, become development allocations in the local plan review.  She explained that this was a technical exercise, and it did not allocate sites.  There was a formal call for sites exercise, and this was extended up to July 2019.  Sites needed to be a minimum of 0.25hectares and have the capacity for 5 dwellings or more.  The Planning Policy Manager outlined the process as reported in paragraph 2.5 of the report.  She explained that no decision on sites was to be taken, this was purely a catalogue of sites to note.

The Chairman asked that Members gave any factual evidence of site assessments to the Planning Policy Manager.

Councillor Lloyd Bowen asked for clarification on the inclusion of Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA), and said that some sites were listed incorrectly within the document, e.g. Teynham, rather than Lynsted, and whether parishes had been consulted correctly.  The Planning Policy Manager advised that this was a list of potential sites for assessing and a site selection methodology, which included air quality, would be provided.

Councillor Cameron Beart asked whether the sites had been promoted by landowners, as he was aware that some landowners had no knowledge of the process in hand.  The Planning Policy Manager said that the information came from landowners, developers or third parties.

Councillor James Hunt referred to paragraph 2.5 in the report, and considered sites that were currently assessed as being unsuitable, might change, and become suitable.  He considered that brownfield sites, although unsustainable now, could be in the future.  He referred to leases on brownfield sites, and that although the site might not available now, could be at a later stage. The Planning Policy Manager explained that the information received was the best information the Council had at that time, and she noted Councillor Hunt’s comments.

Councillor Benjamin Martin sought clarification on the order of the sites and asked about the timeframe for the project.   The Chairman advised that this would be looked at over the summer, and would form part of the information on what sites would go forward.  The Planning Policy Manager explained that the sites were added in the order they were received, and confirmed that they would be listed by parish in the final version.

Councillor Davey asked whether the person who made the application for the site to be put forward, was made public.  The Planning Policy Manager explained that this had not been made public due to GDPR, but she could look into this further for the final report.  Councillor Davey considered it should be a matter of public knowledge who had brought the land forward, and that it should not be restrained by GDPR.

Councillor Eddie Thomas asked whether only part of the larger sites could go forward.  The Planning Policy Manager explained that there was no reason why that could not be done, and the boundaries could be amended and reviewed.

Recommended:

(1)      That the report be noted.